Save SC Shelters 2015

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Clearly, I take issue with many parts of this bill, but not every single part of this bill is highly offensive, and there are a few points that I think are good for shelters and animals on the whole. That said, I’ve got to tell you that those who think this bill is being put in place for anything other than to grow and preserve the income of private veterinarians, I challenge you to consider the following:

Below are the areas that I adamantly disagree with. All areas where "Quality of Care" are mentioned in the bill, I am fully on board.

SECTION 1. Section 40 69 295 of the 1976 Code is amended to read: (B) Any mobile practice affiliated with, operated by, or supported by an animal shelter shall be prohibited from operating within seven miles of the nearest privately owned veterinarian practice.DISAGREE. I cannot agree to a statutory geographical restraint on mobile practice operations. A government shouldn’t determine which constituents get WHAT services. That is up for the individual to determine. Denying access is not within the best interested of the animals or the taxpayers. The limitations of this bill to not providing services within 7 miles of a private veterinary clinic means that there will be NO mobile vaccine services in urban areas where the populations need these services the most. Mobile Vaccine Services at Pawmetto Lifeline alone serve thousands of animals a year. Without this service, these pets will NOT receive preventative services to protect their health and prolong their lives. Veterinarians in these areas that want to mandate the perimeters on mobile vaccine services, however, are not willing to step up and offer the services at an affordable price for the clients being served.

SECTION 2. Chapter 69, Title 40 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding: (E)(1) Nothing in this section shall prohibit an animal shelter from providing veterinary services to pets they own and are holding for adoption. All animal shelters, consistent with this chapter and the related regulations, may offer and provide the following services to any member of the public: (a) Sterilization, pursuant to Section 47 3 480 and any procedures deemed necessary by the attending veterinarian at the time of sterilization; (b) Microchip implantation, pursuant to Section 47 3 55(C); (c) Vaccinations; and (d) Parasite treatment, including but not limited to, treatments for heartworm, fecals, flea control, and mange.DISAGREE. I cannot agree to this type of restriction. This type of restriction creates a perfect storm for the burden of pet overpopulation to continue to be shouldered by the SC taxpayer.When pet owners are unable to pay for services for their pets, they are turned away. When this occurs, many times, these pets end up in the local municipal shelters and are euthanized, at the cost of SC Taxpayers. Even if their particular affliction could be treated and addressed with medical services. So if an agency is willing to provide those services at an affordable cost, why shouldn't a pet owner be able to utilize this service?

(2) Other than veterinary services provided pursuant to subitem (1), an animal shelter shall only provide veterinary services to low-income pet owners. Animal shelters must post these criteria in a conspicuous location inside the facility. An animal shelter must maintain a record of the number of pet owners receiving free or reduced cost veterinary services, excluding services provided pursuant to subitem (1), and that record must be available for review upon request by the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation. (3) To demonstrate low-income status a pet owner must provide the animal shelter, and the animal shelter must retain a copy of written documentation of low-income status from one of the following source: (a) Medicaid; (b) SNAP/TANF; (c) Pay stub or proof income demonstrating income below the federal poverty guidelines published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; or (d) Other documentation, including proof of unemployment. DISAGREE. I cannot agree to a restriction in services based on income level. A government shouldn’t determine which constituents can access low cost service options. There is no way to determine this type of restriction in a way that doesn’t negatively affect pet owners and the pets themselves. Denying access based on income is not within the best interested of the animals or the taxpayers. Additionally, this is unconstitutional. "Non profit" does not mean services available only for a certain income level. NON PROFIT does mean, however, that all proceeds go to providing more services and in turn help more animals and reducing the burden of pet overpopulation on the tax payers. Veterinarians use proceeds to pay their own bills. Many middle income families rely on their ability to get lower cost services and as a population already shrinking under the weight of this economy, this could lead to them giving up their pets because they can't afford to take care of them or even restrict them from having a pet at all. And in turn, doesn't just hurt the homeless pet population but the vets themselves. Adoption creates clients for veterinary clinics, so making it more difficult to own an animal actual serves no one's best interest.

From these proposed changes, what is supremely evident to me;
1) The SCAV want the government to tell taxpayers what services they CAN and CANNOT access based on income level, restricting YOUR right as a consumer and taxpayer to spend your money where you choose, making it illegal to find a good deal and also use your money to benefit the community.
2) The supporters of this bill are advocating for a higher level of government control that does NOT benefit the taxpayers they serve.
3) The SCAV is not interested in the amount of harm this type of amendment could do. They are only interested in their bottom line, not the oath they swore when they became veterinarians.

If you feel that the Senators sponsoring this bill should NOT support this bill and should instead support the proven programs that benefit animal owners and the state overall, please let them know.

Monday, June 15, 2015

If SC Bill S.687 becomes law,
municipal shelters across this state will be forced to euthanize all of
the animals in their care instead of providing adoptions to the public.

SC Bill S.687, authored by the South Carolina Veterinary Association, simply put, will be directly responsible for unprecedented mass euthanasia of companion pets in the State of South Carolina.

In a State that already struggles with some of the highest euthanasia rates of shelter animals in the country, this bill will mean certain death caused by the very professionals who swore an oath of protection for animals and it is all in the name of greed.

Let me be perfectly clear, I am not implying all veterinarians are greed-driven and compassion-less. In fact, I think there are many veterinarians who would vehemently oppose this bill given the facts and consideration of the consequences of such a bill.

Unfortunately, I have first-hand knowledge that this bill was borne out of an attempt to “control and crush” what its makers’ perceive to be competition for their market share. In fact, this is not even thinly veiled by the South Carolina Veterinary Association’s (SCAV).

In their Winter 2012 publication, it states: “For several years, animal shelters in South Carolina have been increasing the amount of services they provide beyond spay/neuter services of stray pets.” The article goes on to state: “These services are all provided at low costs when compared to prices charged by veterinary clinics, and they are being provided to the general public regardless of income." The article continues further to state that: “Incorporated as not for profits, these organizations are exempt from paying the taxes that veterinary clinic owners must pay.” Throughout the entire article there is just one vague mention of the quality of care of animals that received in shelters and rescues – clearly not their primary concern.

It’s about money, plain and simple.

But what the SCAV asserts in their 2012 publication is not true. Non profit clinics get discounts on vaccines and other preventative medicines because of the volume of these items ordered, not because they are non profits. Non Profits DO pay taxes, although their tax exempt status means they don't pay the same taxes a for profit business might. But the reason for this is because the revenue generated by not for profit organizations are used to provide services in the community. Rescue organizations use the funds from programs like mobile vaccine services to rescue homeless pets who are eventually adopted and become clients for private vets in the community, supporting both the cause and the for profit businesses.

And it will hurt the local municipal shelters. They simply will not be able to shoulder the burdens this bill requires. Or at least, the municipalities will not be able to provide the resources needed to comply without significantly taxing their citizens.

In addition, the bills effectively stand to reverse the good work of spay/neuter shelters across the state by limiting additional services strictly to low income households (which SCAV would like defined as households making less than 80% of median income for the county in which they live). In communities where we are finally starting to see a decline in shelter intake due to preventative care for heartworms and other illnesses, we will now see the number of pets surrendered because they can't afford treatments. So, not only will the veterinarians who drafted this bill be responsible for the wholesale slaughter of animals in municipal shelters, they will be directly responsible for increasing ill animals and subsequently shelter intake by significantly limiting the ability of clinics to address the root of the problem.

Future posts will discuss in detail each facet of the Bill and what its likely impact will be on our state. Make no mistake these bills are bad for the animals, bad for public health and bad for taxpayers. SC citizens must say no!

Currently Senate Bill S.687 is in committee. We are asking that all subcommittee meetings open to the public be attended by those that support animal welfare and OPPOSE this bill. The date will be posted on this blog, our Facebook event page, and also on other social media platforms. Your support is invaluable.

Tell these elected leaders that you disagree with their support of this bill by calling:
Please take the time to tell these Senators exactly how you feel about that.

About Me

My name is Carlynn Cary, and I speak on behalf of the animals that cannot speak for themselves. I’m currently a Board of Trustees member for Pawmetto Lifeline, and a passionate advocate for the homeless animals in the Midlands. I am able to actively volunteer within an organization that not only rescues homeless pets from the local municipal shelters, but also provides basic animal care to those pet owners that might not otherwise obtain veterinary assistance for their pets. As a Board of Trustees member, I am focused on the promotion of high-quality animal care, but also on reducing the companion pet overpopulation with a high volume spay/neuter clinic. I believe in assisting SC state lawmakers in creating better laws to not only protect the homeless pets of the Midlands, but to educate the community for future preservation. I’m not employed or compensated by Pawmetto Lifeline, these are an independent statements shared by me alone. I’m in opposition of this bill, and any bill that enables the State to decide on where/how our pets receive preventative care. I believe SC residents should be allowed to decided freely as to where they are able to take their pet for care.